Ripe for Corruption
by guardingagainstcorruption
Summary: Madeleine's diary documenting life in Charenton, a look at life before where the film started and through until the end.
1. A proper introduction

Ripe for Corruption

Prepare yourself for the most impure tale ever to spring from the mind of woman…

Alright, it's actually not all that impure...but it's plenty interesting (hopefully). I always thought it would be quite a thing to see what Charenton was like before the events of which the movie started; how Abbé and Madeline came to be so close, how the Marquis first saw Madeline, etc...So I wrote this; it's a diary from Madeleine's perspective on things.

Note: The length of the chapters will vary from extremely short to extremely long. This is done to attain a sense of realism. The improper grammar at the start of the diary is also on purpose. In the movie Madeleine is allegedly learning how to read and write so I couldn't rightly have her spilling out Shakespearean prose straight off, I wanted to capture a sort of realism with this as well...I hope it worked!


	2. January 24th, 1805

January 24th 1805

Abbé has been teeching me to write these past few months. He thought it wise to start to keep a writting writing diary so I can see how I've prowgressd. He's a very good teacher and very payshent. I am going to try my hardest to show him that he hasnt been waysting time. I dont like writting a diary but I want to to my best for him.


	3. February 4th, 1805

Febuary 4th 1805

Abbé insists that my writing wont improve unless I keep practising. He tells me to read as well which I like much better. Reading is far easier than trying to write all these stupid blasted lines. Abbé is kind about it but I know my spelling is horrid.

The Marquis has offered to tutor me in my spelling but I know him better than that. Writing isn't the only thing on his dirty mind.


	4. February 14th, 1805

FebRuary 14th

I'm not putting the year after the date anymore. I already know which year it is. It's Saint Valentines today and everyone seems to be insane, not just the inmates. The Marquis was in good spirits though and I do enjoy going to see him when I collect his bed sheets when he's merry.

I couldn't come in for a proper visit since there were so many people around. The lunatics were acting out even more than whats usual. I came to his door and he opened the latch quick as ever.

"Hello dumpling."

His light eyes were wide and he looked very exited. He spoke slow thinking all his words out proper before saying them. I wished him a good morning and asked if he had any linens for me.

"Is that all you've come for?" he put on a grand show of looking disappointed and I had to laugh at it.

"I'm running late" I lied knowing that he'd keep me chatting for far too long and Charlotte would be after me soon enough.

"It's Saint Valentine's" he said smoothly.

"Is it then?"

"A time of love and fancy for the youthful and carefree."

"Right then any linens?"

"I notice that you look rather lonesome compared to your dear aquaintence Michette."

"Do I?" I felt my cheeks burning hot as if they knew what the Marquis was going to say before even I did.

"Mmmm." His voice was soothing and I felt rather sleepy listening to it "She is always surrounded by eager young lads, but you my dear the prettiest girl I've ever seen here seem to be perpetually alone."

I thought he'd stop there and let me go, but he didn't.

"And so I have to wonder, is there someone else Madeline? Someone whom you hide your affections for? Someone you think will never love you back? I wonder whom that could be there aren't many young men here that I believe would catch your interest."

At this he started in with that scratchy laugh of his, that mocking sound that I simply cannot stand. It actually makes my ears hurt a bit when he does it. I bet he knows it and thats why he keeps doing it.

"I don't know what you're getting at."

"Of course you do, why else would you be getting so angry with me?" He suddenly looked very amused.

"I know that you care for a certain young man deeply Madeline, but he is a man of the cloth and you may not know it, but you my dear are temptation in and of the flesh."

I didn't know what he meant by that but I didn't say that. I didn't want to rattle away at him and have him say more of what he said but he kept on with it anyway.

"But if it's a matter of virginal curiosity my dear Madeline then allow _me_ to be your tutor. I could teach you things that your dear Abbé would faint at if he ever heard them spoken aloud."

Imagine that dirty old man! I wanted to slap his ugly smile right off his face! His laughing went on and on, louder and louder the more I tried to tell him otherwise. I felt my whole face getting beet red in anger and shame and I picked up my basket and stared right back at him.

"You just keep your filthy opinions to yourself you-"

I was just about to say something worser when I heard a soft voice from behind me in the hall and I stopped, feeling suddenly light in the head.

"Is there a problem Madeline?"

My cheeks went even redder I'm sure of it. I could feel them burning. And I could hear the Marquis giggling softly as I turned round and so those eyes of his. Large and beautiful and filled now with what looked like worry.

"No Abbé."

I tried not to look straight at Abbé when I turned because even on regular ocassions his eyes did something to me I cant explain.

"Are you feeling quite well? You look rather flushed."

"A little overheated perhaps but I was just leaving. Good afternoon."

I did a clumsy little bow in his direction and picked up my basket hurrying past Abbé as I walked.

"Madeline!" called the Marquis before I was very far "My linens!"

I had half a mind to ignore him but Abbé was there and I didn't want to look awful in front of him. So I turned back trying to look calm. I opened the bottom latch and Marqui's hand along with his linens poked out. He spoke to me quietly so only I could hear.

"Little cherub" he whispered, slipping the pages and sheets into my laundry basket "here is a story sure to capture your interest."

I tried not to smile but it was hard. I love his stories so much its hard to be calm about it. I stood straight up and was so happy I even gave Abbe a little smile. But then as usual the Marquis had to go and ruin it all in that was of his.

" Abbé" said the Marquis loudly as I was beggining to walk off. "Surely you're not going to let dear little Madeline leave us without wishing her a very happy Saint Valentine's? It would be most ungentlemanly."

I turned round quick sure to give Marquis a right furious look for embarassing us. I could see Abbé shifting from one foot to the next looking rather red in the face and I felt bad for him.

"That won't be necessary Abbé" I said quickly as my heart skipped about in my chest. I rushed down the hallway as fast as I could but the Marquis scratchy laugh followed me the whole way.

Later on I was waiting for the bedsheets to cool so I could read a bit of my gift from the Maquis. It was an awfully wicked story and I was a bit more shamed than usual to read it on account of the fact that I should be doing work.

Well Charlotte barged in as usual and she pitched a fit right in the middle of the good part when she saw me reading instead of working. I jumped about a mile and hid the pages behind my back before she saw what I was reading. She's always in a foul mood and even worse when she finds I'm reading the Marquis work. I think she's scared of him.

Its late now and I have to be up early tommorow morning so I'll end here.


	5. February 16th, 1805

February 16th

Abbé gave me a book of poems that he says he hopes I'll enjoy. I've almost read the book thru! It's not as good as some of the Marquis work but Abbe was trying his best so I've kept at reading it and now I rather like it.


	6. February 19th, 1805

February 19th

Writing ExerCises

I'll - I will

he'll - he will

Notes: Must remember punctuash punctuation. Punctuation. Comma, period. Comma, period.

I told Abbé I want to write poems now because of his book and he's very glad.

Marquis says that poems are a waste of time and that I should worry more about getting his work published. Sometimes he can be such a misery. As I was taking the new papers from him today, and I saw that amber ring of his shoot out from inside his cell and that little spider that looked like it would pop out any moment I couldn't help but remember the first time I'd saw him.

Well, I don't actually remember the first time I saw him since I was only a baby. My dad had just passed and my mum wasn't blind yet. She was taking me for a little fresh air when a coach had pulled up. In it were some policemen and the Marquis. He'd been transferred from the Bastille after causing some sort of riot.

My mum told me it was 1789 and the old Abbé Fernandes and some policeman were bringing him into a grotty old cell near the end of the hall. He was a strange looking man, that's for sure. And I remember Mum saying that there was something not quite right with his eyes that first day. They were too bright. He was smiling a queer little smile, and it turned rather vicious when he suddenly saw me cowering in me mum's arms.

"Delightful little thing," he whispered to her as he passed us. "Beautiful eyes."

My mum didn't say anything, but she hugged me tighter than ever and rushed back to the laundry room. She wasn't blind yet then, and she was a quick little thing. She made sure she never had to collect his wash.

He only stayed not even a year before he was released. He got brought back in 1803 and when I got older and started collecting the Marquis linens, my mum told me to be specially careful of him, and of how he'd looked at me that first day;

"He looked as if he wanted to gobble you up."


End file.
